The Forrest City times., 1887-10-29
SET IN DIAMONDS,
Charlotte g. Braeme.
CHAPTER XLV-CoSrNtrrn

all the disguise was removed; and she stood before the astonished attendants m all the beauty of her fair complexion and ripping golden hair; before that hair was cut, she caught it in her hands and kissed it. It was like seeing her old Self again, and she whispered to herself the names of Marguerite Marine and Marguerite Stair. The matron was attracted by her demeanor. As a rule, tue generality of women yiulent- y resisted any attempt at cutting their hair. This one watched those long rip- ping tresses fall with smile. 1t had hair.
 all at once, as she stood in the cold, Diank room, a dream comes to her of the sunshine and the Herons' Pool-o, Darcy Estes handsome face and loving eyes ohe could hear him saying, Your eyes are not the color of nots, they have the hue of the yiolet.u If was all so vivid to her for a few mo- ments that she recovered herself with "a low cry. Dear Heaven how long since was all this-how long since Darcys loving face had looked into hers-how long since that terrible scene of passion and despair-how long since she had heard those voices in the tunnel crying, Lady Stair is dead '" --how long since she had seen her uaughter, the beautiful young duchess, standing holding her fathers portrait In her hands-how long? The air round her seemed full of voices crying Mar guerite Stair" She gave sigh. The woman thought she was crying over the golden rings of hair that lay at her feet.
 "lt is beantiful hair" she heard one whisper to the other.
 ohe looAed at them with her sweet, sorrowiul eyes.
 "l wonder she said that it has not turned white long ago."
 IL was then that the shrewd practi- cal matron said to herself that, apart from the question or guilt, the prisoner was evidently bewildered by some great trouble. She was woman enough to ap- Preeiate the beauty of that face aud figure, the pearly whiteness of the clear skin, the delicate beauty of the white hands. Even the coarse prison dress did not hide her loyeliness.
 And when sine had been there some time, forgotten, dead to the world, great peace came over that fair face, shone in the beautiful eyes; peace such as this world rarely gives. From the moment the great gates closed behind her, she seemed to be quite forgotten; other prisoners had as intervals letters rom their friends and visitors; no one ever wrote to her, no one came to see hef; she seemed to be quite alone in the world. The chaplain went to see her. and he found himself standing before tnis fair, sorrowful woman in her coarse prison dress, with as much def erence as he would have shown to duch ss. He went through the usual formula, told how hideous sin was. how needfal to repent when one hes done wrong; and she looked at him Wlth the placid, patient eyes of saint.
 one sang with Inc other prisoners in the church, and the beauty, the pathos or her voice, touched all hearts Dry saIsen eyes, that had shed no tears for long years, grew wet as the sweet tones rose and fell in the prison church.
 Then she fell into the routine com mon to all prisoners. She worked well, and the metron was proud of her work. Only Heaven knows what passed In Ter mind. During those long quiet days she spent in her cell, what liSid pictures her fancy drew, what scenes she recalled Once, as she was busy sewing some fine linen, she suddenly dropped her work, and remembered the old nurses predictions, she looked at the palms Of her hands.
 it has all come true" she said. "How well remember it The line of life abruptly broken, and the strange lines that would not harmonize, and she my poor old nurse, predicted for me an ex- traordinary life. It has all come true." (lnpa aha atar rtl hu thing the matron had said to her. The prison life was hard to bear, she could eat so little Of what was placed before her, and she grew so thin that her hands were almost transparent.
 You must try to eat more." said the matron, kindly, "or when you go out you will not be able to work"
 ''Go out she epeated-''why should go ont :"
 Surely,n said the matron, wondering iy, you do not wish to remain In pris- on always?" Then, seeing no denial on the fair, sad face, she continued, Would you?"
 "I should not much mind it." she replied: ''it is hard life, but at least there is peace."
 Peace" thought the practical matron; ''she must have been hardly driven, bitterly treated, if she calls prison peace"
 Aud then it occurred to No. A what she should do vixen she left the safe shelter of the prison walls, and from her heart to Heavan went passionate prayer that see might dle there.
 How could she ever go back to that busy, active life after this isolation and silence? What should she dc, after all, A Il on her daughters face again. An, no! life had not been so sweet to her that she should care to see more oft. To die there, to be buried in obscurity aud forgotten, was all she ever hoped and prayed for.
 In the meantime matters were pro- gressing in London. Mir. Borton had found one man who answered in every detail to what he wanted. He was chief of one of the principal gangs Tn London. He had planned and carried out successfully some of the greatest jewel robberies of the day. He was concerned in the loss of the jewels be- longing to the beautiful Lady Butler, whose jewel case was stolen during railway ionrney, when the lady's- maid devoutly believed that she had It under her feet. He was concerned also in the robbery at Birmingham House, where gems worth kings ransom werecsrried of quite comfortably while the family were at dinner. They had all evidence against him, his snbordin- ates had been caught and punished. no one had caught him. His real name was James Bently, and when MT. Bar ton came to think over matters he said to himself:
 "This is James-his work" Pa tienee perseverance and skillwork won ders. The day came when the detec- tive tracked the thief to his lair, and they stood face to face.
 .'It is all over" said MT. Barton.
 "what is it ?" asked the once bril- !:ant Charlie Nesbitt.
 .'The duchess's diamonds" replied Mr. Barton. ''lt was well planned ana